Whumptober: Day 29 - Numb
by Lif61
Summary: Castiel needs to undergo a procedure in order to help out the Winchesters with a hunt. Dean stays at his side during it, but it turns out the entire thing is a trap.


**A/N: Written for day 29 of Whumptober 2019.**

**Prompt: numb**

**WARNINGS: This fic contains graphic depictions of violence, and medical torture.**

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"Why am I doing this again?" Castiel asked, wishing for a reminder as to why he was in this ridiculous situation.

He was in an exam room and Dean had been allowed in with him after claiming they were boyfriends (which they were), and now he was helping Castiel out of his clothes, and tying the back of the hospital gown for him. At least the nurse had told him he could keep his boxers on.

"Like I said, this uh, thing we're hunting has a particular taste for spinal fluid, so we kinda need bait."

"And why me?"

Dean came around the front of him, holding his shoulders.

"You heal faster. Besides, we already managed to get false documents about all the testing, so it's too late now."

Castiel was surprisingly nervous, stomach hot and hollow, and he was avoiding Dean's gaze.

Dean caressed his cheek, trying to draw his attention, and then he came forward and kissed him. Castiel kissed back, but didn't really have it in him.

"It's gonna be fine," Dean assured.

"Somehow I never thought the idea of something human could freak me out so much."

"Ah, everybody gets nervous about the doctors. Seriously, I hate needles."

"Then are you going to be okay for this?"

"Yeah, I'll be holding your hand the whole time."

He kissed Castiel on the nose, and then his lips again, and Castiel felt nerves turn over in his stomach.

There was a knock on the door, and Dean decided to kiss him more passionately as it began to open. Cas' cheeks turns red. The doctor cleared his throat. Dean came away from him with a cheeky smile.

"Sorry, doc, the patient's nervous. Trying to help."

"Yes, um… will this be quick?" Castiel asked.

"Should only take a few minutes."

Luckily, Dean's positioning before had been blocking the counter, but he went to go sit down on a chair, and Castiel was made to sit on the exam table. The doctor took the stool. On the counter were various syringes and needles, one very wide and hollow. He tried not to look at that one, but he did.

The doctor was talking about the test results they'd lied about, other health issues that Castiel knew as an angel he was free of but they'd lied about him possibly having in order to get in there, and then he was made to sign consent papers for the procedure. Thankfully he'd given him the name Cassidy Winchester, which was more normal than just Castiel. Dean could get away with call him Cas.

He was made to lie on his side, knees drawn up, and the hospital gown was brushed aside, his back revealed. Dean stood by the front of him, holding his hand.

First he was going to be injected with something that would numb him.

Oh, lord, this was not going to be fun. Could human medicine even have any effect on angels?

Dean squeezed his hand as the needle went in and Castiel winced.

"Hey, just look at me," Dean told him. "You're doing great."

"Okay, this will burn," the doctor told him.

Castiel hissed in a breath, and burning began to take over the lower portion of his back. His legs tensed, and he clenched his teeth. He held onto Dean's hand more tightly now, and he usually didn't think his father's name but god, it hurt!

"Cas, just think about after, okay?" Dean said. "What do you want to do? Tell me your plans. You wanna take me on a date?"

Castiel tried to force a smile, but the plunger on the syringe was pushed down more, and fire gushed into him.

"I-I was thinking... _mmph!_ Uh… burgers and milkshakes? No beer. Too early."

"Pfft, it's never too early for beer."

"Fine, then you can go drinking, and drive m— oh wow, that _really _hurts."

"Don't worry, you won't feel a thing soon."

Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip, unable to go on. So humans went through this? This was a regular thing for procedures?

Castiel could barely stand it.

Dean nudged him gently with his free hand, and started rubbing his thumb against his shoulder. More fire was injected into him.

"Alright, so what else, huh?"

"M-milkshakes," Castiel got out. "Uh, um… V-vanilla? You like vanilla?"

"Baby, gimme chocolate."

"Chocolate then."

"Okay, and—" He let out a sigh, interrupted himself as the needle was withdrawn, and then he began to feel it, or… not feel it. His back was starting to numb. He was surprised it was working on him.

"Shouldn't feel a thing in a few minutes," the doctor told him.

Castiel nodded, swallowing roughly.

Dean brushed his hair back from his forehead, and seemingly not trusting the doctor, he rubbed circles into his lower back until he confirmed he could no longer feel it.

And while he was distracted the doctor came up behind Dean and injected him in the neck.

Castiel screamed, Dean went down, crashing to the floor, medical equipment going with him. But the rooms were sound proof for patient privacy, so no one would come running.

"Dean!"

The doctor's eyes flashed a copper color, something Castiel hadn't seen before, and he, or it, rather, licked its lips.

"You're what we're after," Castiel accused.

He tried to get up, but it was a bit strange the things you couldn't do when a great portion of your back was numb, especially with it so close to your tailbone and hips. The doctor held out its gloved hands. "One and the same."

He grabbed Castiel by the shoulder as he attempted to get up yet again and slammed him back down. And then he picked up the hollow needle.

"Don't worry," it said. "I won't harvest from you just yet, angel."

"You know what I am?"

"Impossible not to with how good your fluid smells."

Castiel wrinkled his nose at the horrifying word choice.

"So what you've been injected with has been given an extra boost. But now I need to numb the rest of your body so you won't fight me. I just needed to give Dean something to worry about so I could get him taken care of. Why not use your pretty back as an excuse?"

Castiel was pulling himself to the edge of the exam table, not exactly caring about falling off it. He'd fall on Dean, and Dean would hate him for a week for that, but he'd get over it. If he lost the functions of his entire body they were both doomed.

But then his neck was grabbed, and the hollow syringe was stabbed into the lower part of his spine. Castiel only knew it as sickening pressure. His body twitched at it, and he cried out.

Then he was engulfed in flames that lulled his body into nothingness.

Castiel was numb and helpless as the thing began to harvest from him. And the effects still hadn't worn off when he'd been dumped to a chair and it had started in on Dean.

Hours later, he even became numb to the fear.


End file.
